Isolates of Pithomyces chartarum obtained
from pasture samples originating from Australia, Brazil,
New Zealand and Uruguay were
evaluated for their ability to produce sporidesmin. Only
isolates that produced enough spores to confirm the presence or
absence of sporidesmin were evaluated. Samples from the countries
examined gave proportions of sporidesmin-producing isolates of:
Australia, 67% of 207 isolates; Brazil, 2% of 51 isolates;
New Zealand, 86% of 391 isolates and Uruguay, 28% of 182 isolates.
Considerable variations in the ability to produce sporidesmin were
found, not only between countries but between samples taken
from the same country.